Jen Killian: Program Director
Jen grew up in Georgetown, MA, but spent her summers sailing on the frigid waters of Maine. She graduated from Salve Regina University in 2019, where she sailed competitively at the collegiate level, and even served as the team captain for three years. She has been instructing sailing since 2012 and is excited to share her knowledge and love for the sport with ILYC sailors. During the school year, Jen is a 7th grade English teacher at Triton Middle School in Byfield, MA. She is thrilled to be back in Newport for another summer of fun on the water, serving as ILYC’s Junior Program Director!
|
 |
| |
|
Ben Picotte: Kites & Wires Instructor
Ben lives right up the road from Ida Lewis Yacht Club where he grew up sailing in Optis and 420s. He has sailed extensively throughout New England, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean including voyages to Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Ben is also an avid surfer, and he will be entering his junior year at the University of Denver.
|
 |
| |
|
Celia Byrne: Day Sailing
Celia is from Newport, Rhode Island and has grown up sailing on Narragansett Bay. She began sailing optis at age 7, and raced 420s during the spring and summer throughout high school. She is now a junior at Tufts University where she studies biomedical engineering. Celia is going to be the captain of the Tufts sailing team this fall and is their A Division crew.
|
 |
| |
|
Maya Bardoff: Opti Instructor
Maya is from Newport, RI and grew up sailing in the ILYC programs from Opti Beginners to 420s in Kites and Wires. She graduated from St. George's School in 2020 where she participated in the school's 6 week Geronimo Program aboard its 70-foot cutter. Maya just finished her sophomore year at Middlebury College in VT, and is excited to be back in Newport this summer instructing optis here at ILYC.
|
 |
| |
|
Will Eykyn: Opti Instructor
Will grew up on the Connecticut coast sailing on the Long Island Sound. He graduated from St. George’s School in 2020 where he crewed in FJs and 420s. Will now sails at Tufts University where he is one of the team’s top heavy air crews. He is thrilled to be coaching optis at Ida Lewis this summer.
|
 |
| |
|
Mary Davidson: Junior Instructor
Mary lives in Newport, RI, where she grew up sailing with her family on the waters of Narragansett Bay. She has been a participant of the ILYC junior sailing program from Jr optis through Day-sailing and 420's. She is now going into her junior year at Portsmouth Abbey School where, she is a crew on the varsity sailing team. With this great background and wealth of experience, Mary will be a very involved and motivated instructor. She hopes to bring the best out of her young students and help them feel safe and empowered to become competent sailors of the future.
|
 |
| |
|
Alasdair McDermott: Junior Instructor
Alasdair is a native Newporter who just graduated from Portsmouth Abbey School, where he was a member of the sailing team that finished 18th in the nation this past high school sailing season. He is excited to start his freshman year at Connecticut College where he will also be on the sailing team. He has been sailing for twelve years right here in Newport and is thrilled to be a junior instructor here at ILYC.
|
 |
| |
|
Lily Picotte: Commodores in Training Instructor
Lily grew up sailing on Narragansett Bay out of Ida Lewis Yacht Club where she participated in the junior sailing program from beginner optis through kites and wires. She spent the first semester of her junior year of high school on board the Harvey Gamage, where she learned the ins and outs of schooners. She is going into her senior year at Proctor Academy where she is a member of both the varsity ski team and the varsity lacrosse team.
|
 |
| |
|
Mary Powell: Commodores in Training Instructor
Mary will be a senior next fall at Portsmouth Abbey School. After moving from New York to Rhode Island in second grade, she spent every summer sailing in the Ida Lewis Junior Program from Beginner Optis up to Kites and Wires. She continues to sail 420s for the Portsmouth Abbey Sailing Team and can be found racing J22s in the summer with her dad. She is so excited to return to Ida as a Commodores in Training instructor this summer! |
 |